Field
Embodiments relate to integrated circuit security. In particular, embodiments relate to provisioning of secret keys during integrated circuit manufacturing.
Background Information
Computers (e.g., desktop, laptop, pad computers, etc.), cell phones, multimedia content players, and various other types of consumer electronics or electronic devices, are commonly used to handle sensitive or secure information. By way of example, the sensitive or secure information may include financial information, confidential documents, personal emails, digital rights protected content, etc.
Processors, chip set components, systems-on-chips (SoCs), security-related integrated circuits, and other types of integrated circuits used in such electronic devices are commonly provisioned with secrets, such as secret keys or secure keys, which are used to protect the sensitive or secure information. The secret keys or secure keys are often provisioned to the integrated circuits during manufacture.
During use, the secret or secure keys may be provided to any of various different types of key-utilizing security logic of the integrated circuits, such as, for example, cryptographic modules or circuits, crypto-processors, crypto-coprocessors, trusted platform modules, security engines, security controllers, or the like. Such security logic may use the secret or secure keys to protect the sensitive or secure information in various ways, such as, for example, through encryption, decryption, authentication, digital signatures, and various other ways known in the arts.
During the manufacturing process, while provisioning the secure or secret keys to the integrated circuits, there is a general risk that the secret or secure keys being provisioned could be maliciously obtained. If the keys were maliciously obtained, it could compromise, or at least contribute to compromising, the security of the integrated circuits and/or the sensitive information handled by the integrated circuits.